ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, May 19, 1994                   TAG: 9405190062
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: W-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BY FRANCES STEBBINS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium


RELIGION BRIEFS

A BOOK DISCUSSION on "The Eternal Dreamer," highlighting the principles of the spiritual fellowship called Eck, will be held May 31 at 8 p.m. at 2400 Gate House Lane, Salem. Call 389-8043 for more information.

\ A JOINT CONFIRMATION SERVICE to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia is scheduled Sunday at 3 p.m. at DuPont Chapel of Hollins College. Bishop A. Heath Light will conduct the service, which for this year only, replaces individual confirmation services in Episcopal parishes in the Roanoke Valley and in Botetourt, Franklin and Henry Counties.

A joint choir will sing, and more than 100 people will reaffirm their baptismal vows or be received from other denominations.

Other joint services are being held this year in the four other regions of the diocese.

\ RACIAL INTEGRATION OF CHURCHES is among the concerns of a study by the Commission on Religion and Race, an arm of the Roanoke District of the United Methodist Church. Meetings of the commission are open to members of other denominations concerned about the issue. The next meeting will be Monday at 7:15 p.m. at the United Methodist Home. Call 989-3335 for more information.

\ VIRGINIA CONFERENCE UNITED METHODISTS will take a special offering on June 21 during their annual conference in Norfolk for war-torn Liberia, where refugees are returning to their homes after a civil conflict

Half of the donations will be used for emergency food with the rest going to building a dormitory and dining hall for Volunteers in Mission teams who will help with rehabilitation.

\ A HEALTH SEMINAR, "Your Health is a Laffing Matter," will be held June 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Unity of Roanoke Valley, 3300 Green Ridge Road. The Rev. Victor E. Williams, associate minister of Unity Center of the Triangle, Raleigh, N.C., will lead the seminar. An offering will be taken. To register, call 562-2200.

Williams also will preach at the 9 and 11 a.m. Unity services on June 12.

\ ANDRE THOMAS, choral director from Tallahassee, Fla., will be guest choir director and preacher at Raleigh Court United Methodist Church Sunday at the 8:30 and 11 a.m. services. The church is at 1706 Grandin Road S.W. Thomas is in Roanoke to conduct a choral workshop Friday night and Saturday at First Presbyterian Church.

Deadline for religion briefs for Neighbors is Thursday. Material must be delivered to Neighbors Religion Briefs, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010, by noon in order to run in the following Thursday edition.



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